1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept relate to a method of cutting a wafer. More particularly, example embodiments of the present general inventive concept relate to a method of cutting a wafer having a plurality of semiconductor chips along a scribe lane of the wafer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, various semiconductor processes may be performed on a wafer to form a plurality of semiconductor chips. To mount the semiconductor chips on a printed circuit board (PCB), a packaging process may be performed on the wafer to form semiconductor packages.
According to a conventional packaging method, a wafer may be cut along a scribe lane of the wafer to divide the wafer into each of the semiconductor chips. The semiconductor chips may each be attached to a wiring substrate. The wiring substrate may be electrically connected to a bonding pad of the respective semiconductor chip using a conductive wire. A molding member may be formed on the wiring substrate to surround the semiconductor chip. An outer terminal, such as a solder ball, may be mounted on the wiring substrate.
However, since the conventional packaging method may be performed on each of the semiconductor chips, the conventional packaging method may have very low process efficiency.
To overcome the above-mentioned problem, a wafer level packaging method may be proposed. According to the wafer level packaging process, a packaging process may be performed on a wafer before cutting the wafer. The wafer may then be cut.
The wafer may be cut by an etching process, a laser cutting process, etc. According to the etching process, an etching mask may be formed on the wafer. The wafer may be etched using the etching mask to divide the wafer into separate semiconductor chips. However, the conventional etching process may include a process for forming the etching mask, a process for removing the etching mask after the etching process, a process for removing byproducts, etc. Thus, costs and time for cutting the wafer may be increased.
In contrast, according to the laser cutting process, a laser may be irradiated to a wafer without an etching mask to divide the wafer into semiconductor chips. However, the laser irradiated to the wafer may generate high heat, such that this high heat may have bad influences on silicon in the wafer so that the strength of the semiconductor chip may be reduced.